UTEP men's basketball: El Paso's Jones brothers to join Miners

UTEP coach Tim Floyd sat his team down and had a long talk with them Tuesday afternoon.

The team then went through a spirited practice session, getting ready for the Conference USA opener against Charlotte on Thursday night in the Don Haskins Center.

Floyd came straight to the Haskins Center from a press conference at the president's office announcing the loss of three players -- starting guard McKenzie Moore and backups Jalen Ragland and Justin Crosgile -- for alleged gambling incidents, an NCAA violation.

"Now we just have to try and put our best foot forward and salvage the season," Floyd said. "I love the kids we have. This is unfortunate and I'm crushed personally that this happened."

The Miners lost three recruits last summer and now, with the loss of these three players, are down to nine scholarship players. They also have four walk-ons on the team.

But the Miners will be adding two more walk-ons today -- former Burges High star athletes and current UTEP football players Aaron and Alvin Jones.

"I want to thank Bob Stull for the idea and I want to thank (Miner football coach) Sean Kugler for being gracious enough to allow us to take a look at them," Floyd said. "We are certainly in a situation where we need some help in the backcourt and I understand they are great athletes. We hope they can contribute for us. They are currently in North Carolina (during semester break) but are flying in tomorrow (Wednesday) to join us."

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Aaron Jones was last year's El Paso Times All-City Basketball Most Valuable Player and Alvin Jones was first-team all-city. Aaron Jones, who was also the Times' All-City MVP in football and who was a freshman All-American for UTEP this fall, averaged 17.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.8 steals a game. They led Burges to two playoff wins.

UTEP, 10-5, will open conference play against Charlotte, a team that is 9-4 with wins over Michigan and Kansas State. The Miners went over some of the game plan for Charlotte and went over some of their own plans.

"I've got to re-teach everything," Floyd said at one point.

The Miners will shuffle players in positions and will likely come out with a larger lineup. One very talented lineup will be 6-foot-1 C.J. Cooper and 6-8 Julian Washburn in the backcourt with 6-11 John Bohannon, 6-10 Cedrick Lang and 6-8 Vince Hunter in the front court.

Of course, depth will be an issue.

The Miners have 6-7 freshman Jake Flaggert, 7-1 Matt Willms and 6-11 Hooper Vint and some walk-ons in 6-3 Tevin Caldwell (Americas High), 6-1 Victor Mbachu and 6-1 Darnell Vandivort (Franklin High), all of whom have seen some playing time. Josh Brown, a 5-11 freshman guard, is a scholarship player but has been slated to redshirt. That, though, might change.

There are minutes now available.

"There is a lot going on but we just have to stay focused and stay together as a team," said Mbachu, who is from Houston. "I came here to play but I didn't think it would be like this. Things happen for a reason, though."

Cooper, who will likely be seeing 35 or more minutes a game, said, "Everybody is asking what is going on and we don't even know the real story. But the walk-ons have to step up. As for me playing more, in some points it's easier because I can get into a rhythm and in some points it's harder because I will get tired."

The Miners begin their short-handed, uphill chase for a conference title Thursday night.